


You Pull Me Closer To Love

by hokage35



Category: Hit the Floor (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Duke the bulldog, First Time, Fluff, Language, M/M, Slash, Slow Build, Top!Zero, bottom!Jude, magazinecolumnist!Jude, mystery!Zero
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-02
Updated: 2016-11-11
Packaged: 2018-08-28 15:34:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8451922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hokage35/pseuds/hokage35
Summary: Jude just moved to NYC. New job, new apartment, how will he go above navigating a new city and just what is the deal with the blonde guy he keeps running into?





	1. Moving In

**Author's Note:**

> Multi chapter AU. Will be explicit later on but I will put a note on that chapter.
> 
> Hope people enjoy it!

Jude tipped the delivery drivers and closed the door. When he turned around he looked at the mass of boxes awaiting sorting and unpacking. He’d finally done it. He was living in his own apartment in Manhattan. It was like a dream come true. His mother in law Lionel was a big help in finally twisting Jude’s father Oscar to buy the place for his son. 

Oscar had never gotten over his only son coming out as gay. But he figured if Jude lived and worked in New York City then at least he’d be far away from LA. Jude agreed, the distance between them was probably for the best.

With something nudging at his leg, Jude looked down to see his dog Duke staring up at him. “Come on,” Jude grabbed a leash which he remembered to pack in his backpack for easy access. Duke was a two year old bulldog and Jude’s best friend. Together the pair entered the elevator and exited through the lobby of the apartment building. It’d been a long day and Duke hadn’t had a bathroom break in hours.

Duke did his business and the pair then wondered around a couple of streets. Central Park was only a couple blocks over but Jude figured he’d leave that till another time to explore. Looking at his watch he figured the pair of them had had enough time outside in the fresh air. He still had lots of unpacking to do.

Starting in the bedroom Jude put fresh sheets on his bed and unpacked a few boxes of clothes. Duke just laid there watching from the comfort of the now freshly made bed. In just a few hours Jude had finished setting up his bedroom, the bathroom, and connected the TV. Feeling tired he sat down on the couch and ordered a pizza, intent on spending his evening catching up on The Walking Dead because thankfully his cable had already been connected.

The rest of the night went on uneventful. Just Jude and Duke on the couch. By eleven Jude felt himself grow tired, he quickly took Duke downstairs to relieve himself before showering and heading to bed.

Sunday morning came and Jude woke feeling weird. The room still unfamiliar. The warm presence of a dog that thought it was a person, and entitled to sleep on the bed, brought a smile to Jude’s face. They’d done it. The pair were living in a nice apartment with a decent view of Central Park. 

Getting dressed, Jude’s first agenda of the day was grocery shopping, well that is after stopping for a nice coffee. He left the apartment, leaving Duke behind much to his disappointment, and headed for the grocery store following the directions given to him by the doorman. As luck would have it there was a Starbucks only one block away from Jude’s building. He got himself a venti as he’d need the boost to get through the day and pressed on. Coffee beans, sugar, milk, cereal, dog food, Jude walked the aisles and grabbed as much as he could whilst being mindful he had to walk all this home.

On the journey back Jude tried to familiarize himself with his new surroundings. He past the coffee shop he’d already been to and noted the bakery next to it, and a post office two doors down from that. When back outside his building, Jude saw the bar across the street; Vega’s. He actually noticed it the night before but was now committing it to memory.

Back inside he was instantly greeted by Duke who raced from the couch to the door like lightning. Jude greeted his buddy before unpacking the groceries away and turning his attention to the still substantial number of boxes that needed unpacking. Not wasting any time Jude began to organize the kitchen. He powered on through most of the day only stopping briefly to eat and take Duke for a toilet break.

By mid-afternoon Jude was impressed, he had pretty much finished. A few things still looked out of place but the apartment was looking more like a home. With the boxes, all unpacked, Jude threw out the rubbish and then fixated on his next task; work. Tomorrow was Jude’s first day at Glam: one of New York’s biggest magazines. It was a hybrid that catered to both men and women and was hugely successful. Typical celebrity scandals, the latest in fashion and makeup but with a dedicated section to sports, latest technology and city events. He’d been hired as a writer mostly for sports and other major events. Whilst his stepmother Lionel’s influence probably got him the job, Jude liked to think that his degree in journalism and his previous experience writing for the LA Times also made him a good fit for the role. 

With five days worth of clothes ironed and hung in his closet, Jude was ready for the week ahead. He fed Duke before crashing on the couch to enjoy the spaghetti he’d made himself. At nine pm he took Duke downstairs before showering and heading to bed. He wanted to be up extra early so he was sure to get to work on time.


	2. You've Got Mail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m sorry he’s not usually like this,” Jude felt it necessary to apologize.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so it continues...

Monday morning went off without a hitch. Jude woke up to his alarm. Showered, made coffee, took Duke downstairs, ate breakfast and left. He took the train, it was only three stops so the commute to his new job was short. The New York subway was an eye opener as Jude saw few ‘special people,’ as he called them, on the carriage. 

Checking in at the lobby of his new workplace Jude was greeted by Raquel from Human Resources who took Jude up to his floor. They swung by security to have a name badge created for him on the way. Jude was impressed, it was five past eight and the building was buzzing with life. Finally, Raquel escorted Jude to his desk and introduced him to another one of the writers Kyle Hart. 

“Fresh meat,” Kyle shook Jude’s hand.

“Excuse me?” Jude swallowed, unsure of what she meant.

“Oh relax honey. Welcome to Glam,” Kyle sat on Jude’s desk. “So you’re our new sports writer huh? Apparently some big shot from LA.”

Jude was confused at how much she seemed to know about him. “Ah right,” he laughed nervously. “Hey what can you tell me about our boss Jelena Howard?”

“Have you seen the Devil Wears Prada?” Kyle retorted.

“Yes,” Jude remembered watching it with Lionel. 

“Then you’re all set,” Kyle smiled. 

Butterflies filled Jude’s stomach.

“Jude Kincade?” a voice interrupted the pair and Kyle immediately jumped off Jude’s desk. 

Turning around Jude saw a woman who looked not much older than himself, but by the way everyone around him suddenly went silent he knew who she must be.

“Jelena Howard,” she stuck out her hand and shook his. “Call me Miss Howard and you’re out of here. It’s Jelena only. Understood?”

She went over a few basic office rules before giving Jude a minor tour of the floor. Her office looked impressive. She definitely seemed like a force to be reckoned with. A few more formalities later and Jelena gave Jude his first assignment; writing about this week’s Knicks home game. Jude sighed with relief, basketball was his preferred sport and he was glad it was his first task at the new job. 

By five pm Jude’s head was full of new names and faces that he needed to remember. Kyle had listed off all the places he needed to eat, shop and visit as soon as possible. She also helped recommend him a couple of gyms in his area when he asked. With the office clearing out for the day he took that as his cue to leave. The commute home was crowded but quick. He stopped off and ordered a pizza and grabbed a six pack. He’d survived his first day without any problems. 

Back home Jude was greeted by Duke who scratched at the now closed door. Putting the pizza and beer down on the kitchen bench, Jude grabbed the leash and took Duke downstairs to do his business. 

When the pair re-entered the lobby, Jude went over to his mailbox to check to see if anything had come for him, having forgotten to do so before. An invoice for the connection of his utilities was all there was. Quickly Jude read the letter not really paying attention to anything else around him. He was relocking his mailbox when he felt a tug on the leash below. Turning, Jude saw Duke jumping at another person’s leg.

Stunned, Jude just watched. Whilst Duke was a ball of energy around Jude and people he knew, the bulldog had never been so friendly to a complete stranger before.

“Well hey there little guy,” the man knelt down to pat Duke who seemed to be in love with the ear scratches he was receiving. 

“I’m sorry,” Jude felt it necessary to apologize.

The other man stood back up and looked at Jude. “It’s alright, the little guy’s great, or girl."

“Guy,” Jude replied. “Duke.” He paused for a moment. “And I’m Jude.”

The other man stuck out a hand. “Zero,” he smiled.

Jude by reflex took the hand offered to him. He was busy staring at Zero. The other man was hot. Tall, blonde, tanned skin, with an amazing smile and come fuck me eyes.

“I haven’t seen either of you around here before,” Zero looked at Jude and then Duke.

Realizing it was his turn to talk, Jude snapped back to his senses. “We just moved in on Saturday.”

“Well let me be the first to say, welcome to the building,” Zero flashed another award-winning smile. Seriously Jude thought to himself that should be illegal. 

“Ah,” Jude was fighting a blush. “Thank you Zero.” 

The pair stood awkwardly around each other for a few more moments before Zero broke the silence. “Well I guess I’ll see you two around then?” He bowed his head slightly and headed towards the main door, disappearing out onto the sidewalk.


	3. Late Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jude barely made it out of the building before a voice interrupted him. “Mind if I join you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably the slowest chapter in the series...but the story has to build somewhere right?

A routine was rather easy for Jude to form in his first few days of living in New York. He had his morning humdrum all sorted. His commute to work was great. He’d signed up for a gym and had his home Internet installed. 

By Thursday night Lionel called to check in on him. She wanted to know when she could come and visit but Jude reminded her it was November and winter was coming. She hated the cold. She decided it was better to leave it for a while longer, or for Jude to come back to LA over the holidays instead. 

Zero too seemed to be a re-occurrence in Jude’s daily routine. They often spotted each other in the lobby in the morning but mostly interacted by the mailboxes of the afternoon. Jude even got a fright one Saturday in Central Park with Duke when Zero came running past, tapping Jude on the shoulder as he did so. He only paused long enough to grin at Jude before continuing his run.

Jude wondered about the other man. Zero seemed so perfect but they barely talked. They only saw each other briefly. All he knew is that Zero liked coffee as he had seen him in the lobby a few times with a Starbucks cup. Other than that, he had no idea what the other man did for a living. 

Relaxing on his couch Jude tried to think it through. When they caught the lift together Jude got off first so Zero obviously lived at least a floor above him. The other man never complained about work, he was never with a woman, or a man for that matter. He was a mystery. A sexy, tempting, day dream, mystery. Yeah Jude was really in a sexual rut and obsessing over Zero was not helping. 

Still Duke seemed to like Zero enough so Jude didn’t let the unknown bother him so much. His dog was an excellent judge of character, having hated Oscar from day one. By Sunday evening, Jude had ironed another round of work clothes for the week and descended the building to take Duke for a short walk. 

Jude barely made it out of the building before a voice interrupted him. “Mind if I join you?” He jumped, startled slightly before turning around to see non-other than Zero.

“Zero,” Jude was thankful his voice didn’t go high pitched. “What are you doing here?” Not that it wasn’t okay for the other man to be outside at night.

“I came down to stretch my legs,” he shrugged. “Saw you and this handsome little guy,” he bent down to pat Duke who lavished the attention. “So I figured I’d join you?”

“Uh, yeah sure,” Jude managed to say without his voice breaking. “We’re just down here for a few minutes so this guy can do his thing.” Smooth Jude, he mentally smacked himself on the forehead.

Unphased, Zero just smiled at Jude and the two men walked side by side down the street. “Work tomorrow?” Zero broke the silence.

“Yeah, I still feel pretty green in the office,” Jude replied.

“What is it you actually do?” Zero asked.

“I’m a columnist at Glam,” Jude answered as he tugged on the leash to pull Duke away from a questionable liquid spill on the footpath. 

“A writer huh?” Zero mused.

Jude huffed. “I prefer journalist.” This was his chance he could find out what the other man did for a living. “What about you?”

“Let’s see,” Zero hummed softly. “Got a dental check up tomorrow, other than that, pretty quiet week.”

Still dancing around the subject. Jude was about to ask him more directly when he looked down to see that Duke had left him a nice little surprise. Sighing he reached into his pocket and retrieved a plastic bag to pick the poop up with.

“Bet you’re feeling better now huh?” Zero commented and if Jude didn’t know better he’d swear Duke was grinning at the statement. He’d move in just over a week ago and already his dog had started preferring Zero to him. Jude contemplated asking Zero about what he did for work again but paused when he thought about it. Maybe the other man was ashamed of his profession? Like an escort or something. No, Jude banished that thought away, he couldn’t picture a seductive Zero with the real thing right in front of him.

“Well I guess that’s enough fresh air for me,” Zero broke the awkward silence created by the other man. “Have a good night Jude,” he winked before turning and heading back towards their building.

Somewhat stunned, Jude stood on the footpath for a couple more minutes till Zero was out of sight before he too headed back.


	4. Stomach Knots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh god he wanted to run. Did he really just ask the other guy out? Would that be considered a date? Did he want it to be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to admit I love a nervous Jude

Over the next couple of weeks Jude and Zero hung out a bit more becoming friends. The majority of their time together was still spent in the lobby or out walking Duke but it was nice. Even though he didn’t talk much about himself, Zero was great company and always seemed to take an interest in how Jude was.

On a particularly cool Tuesday morning Jude was running a couple minutes late as he quickly walked out of the main entrance with Zero close behind. He’d said no twice already but the other man was persistent. 

“Come on,” Zero didn’t seem to care that Jude was going to be late. “Have coffee with me this morning. There’s a hot caffeine filled venti with your name on it.”

Jude smiled, almost tempted to finally give in. “I really can’t.” Then before his brain could catch up his mouth kept working on its own. “But I’m free for a drink this afternoon after work if you want to join me?” Oh god he wanted to run. Did he really just ask the other guy out? Would that be considered a date? Did he want it to be?

“Why Jude are you asking me out?” Zero was enjoying this turn of events way too much. 

Unable to stop it Jude felt a blush creep across his face. “I…uh…well only if you’re free.” He wished his legs would start working and take him far far away from this nightmare. Defeated he opted to wait for the oncoming rejection.

“Yes.” One simple word held so much weight.

“What?” Jude wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly.

“I said yes stupid,” Zero teased. “If you didn’t notice I was trying to ask you on a coffee date but you had to go and step up the game to an evening date. Meet you in the lobby say five-thirty?”

“Make it six, Duke will need an afternoon walk first,” the last thing Jude wanted was to come home to an accident on his carpets.

Zero nodded. “I can work with that. See you at six Jude, have fun at the office.” He turned and started walking off in the opposite direction towards the coffee shop.

Jude could barely believe it. He had a date with Zero. Part of him wanted to hyperventilate but if he didn’t start running now he was going to miss his train and be late for work. Jude spent the entire morning at work with knots in his stomach. On one side he was excited and couldn’t believe this was happening. On the other he was panicking. What is he embarrassed himself? What if Zero just didn’t like him? What if…?

“You stare at that coffee cup anymore and it might explode,” Kyle’s voice tore Jude aware from his thoughts.

“Sorry,” Jude sat up in his chair and pretended to click something on his screen with his mouse.

“What has you thinking so hard you might give yourself an aneurysm?” she asked, entering Jude’s cubicle. 

Not sure if he wanted to talk about it Jude kind of shrugged at her and looked down at some papers on his desk.

“Hmm,” Kyle paused, assessing the situation. “So it’s a girl?” Jude didn’t react in any way. “A guy?” she continued, noticing how he stiffened at the words. “So it is a guy.”

“Keep it down,” Jude tried to shush her.

Kyle simply waved him off. “Oh please, honey no one is going to be surprised by a gay man working at a magazine. Then again they might if he writes about sports,” she trailed off but quickly regained her train of thought. “Now tell me is this guy cute?”

Jude couldn’t help but blush. Sure, he knew he was gay but he grew up in a household where such lifestyles were looked down on so he wasn’t very experienced when it came to discussing guys he liked with other people.

“So he’s very cute,” Kyle could read his cues with ease. The conversation flowed from there. Kyle was nothing but supportive and had a few suggestions at how Jude could relax. They had to stop when Jelena came to see her about attending a fashion show for a feature article.

By five to five Jude had already packed his things for the day. He wasn’t able to get much work done. He’d literally spent most the afternoon proofreading the same article.

Once out of the office, the subway ride home felt like it was taking eternity. But when he finally emerged out of the terminal the knots in Jude’s stomach returned. He was really going through with this. Zero was better looking than him, why on Earth had he accepted this date? No, Jude mentally smacked himself for thinking of such negative thoughts.

It wasn’t even five-thirty when Jude opened the door to his apartment. He grabbed Duke’s leash and took him downstairs. They were down and back inside the apartment in less than ten minutes. Trying to remain calm Jude took a few deep breaths like Kyle had told him. He had a glass of ice cold water counteract how hot he felt from the nerves. 

By five-fifty he was fixing his hair and washing up. Finally all set he paused by the mirror that hung in his small hallway adjacent to the front door. Tie or no tie? He fretted way too much on such a small detail. Five fifty-seven, Jude still needed to get to the elevator and down to the lobby. He hated being late. Screw it he thought, grabbing his tie and pulling it off before rushing out the door.


	5. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You sure you’re up to this?” Zero asked as they made their way outside. “You look a little tired.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date night :)

Six pm on the dot: the elevator doors opened and Jude made his way through the lobby towards Zero who was waiting by the front door.

“Jude,” Zero licked his lips as he eyed the other man. “I have to say I’m loving the no tie look.” 

Too busy trying to think of an appropriate response Jude didn’t have time to reply before Zero was pinning a red rose to his jacket. “What’s this for?”

“Thought it’d look good on you,” Zero answered. “And I was right.”

The gesture was sweet, the other man was obviously trying to impress Jude. This was strange to him as he hadn’t dated much in his time and guys from his past had never gone to that much trouble. Not to mention the fact that a rose of this quality wasn’t cheap.

“You sure you’re up to this?” Zero asked as they made their way outside. “You look a little tired.”

“I’m fine,” Jude dismissed the tired statement. “My boss has just been cracking the whip a little more at work than usual.”

Zero didn’t probe further. “Why don’t we keep it local then?” he suggested before pointing to the bar across the road; Vega’s. “It’s nice, I promise you’ll like it.”

Local sounded like a good idea because yes Jude really was tired, not that he’d admit to it. “Sounds good.”

The pair made their way inside, it wasn’t too busy being a Tuesday night. Jude got them a high table with a couple of stools whilst Zero insisted on buying the first round. He returned a couple minutes later carrying two beers.

“Cheers,” the pair clinked their glasses together. 

“So,” Zero got comfortable on his stool. “How was your day?”

“Pretty good, settling in much better now. Jelena has me going to the Rangers game Friday. She’s a tough task master but so far I’m enjoying it.” Jude was being mindful not to go off on a tangent and talk about work all night.

“That’s great,” Zero smiled. “So you a hockey fan?”

“I don’t mind it,” Jude admitted. “I like most sports, basketball mainly.”

Zero beamed. “Ball is my favorite. I used to play in high school.”

The conversation flowed from there and the hours flew by. Zero was so easy to talk to even though he didn’t reveal much about himself. He was attentive though, genuinely interested in Jude’s stories. As the night went on Jude only learnt a couple of snippets about the other man. Like how Zero was raised by foster parents and also grew up in LA. It still alluded Jude as to what Zero did for work, if he had any hobbies or just basically what he did in his spare time. 

Jude also found out that Zero’s charm was irresistible. In fact he was sure Zero had been buying the drinks all night, simply saying that Jude could get the next round. He even bought them burgers and had somehow gone from sitting on the opposite side of the high table to directly beside Jude. 

Looking at the time Jude sighed, it was nearly eleven. They’d spent almost five hours together and it only felt like five minutes. 

“Time to go?” Zero noted the look Jude sported when he looked at his watch. 

“Yeah I’ve still got work tomorrow,” Jude grunted.

The two men stood up and grabbed their jackets, Zero left a tip on the table and they returned to their building. It was so convenient only going across the street.

Jude pressed the eighth floor button on the elevator and noted Zero didn’t press any. Was he expecting to come back to Jude’s? Was Jude ready for this?

Sure enough as Jude exited onto his floor, Zero followed. Heart racing, Jude led Zero to his apartment. He wasn’t ready for this but he knew he probably wouldn’t be able to stop himself if Zero suggested what Jude was thinking he might.

“I had a really nice time tonight Zero,” Jude was nervous but successfully masking it as the pair stood outside his door. 

“Me too,” Zero was in his personal space now. “But there’s one more thing that would make tonight perfect.”

Before Jude could even ask what that was Zero was kissing him. The kiss caught him off guard but within seconds Jude reciprocated. At first Zero’s stubble annoyed him but as the kiss deepened and their tongues met, Jude felt himself loving every sensation the other man was making him feel. Zero’s hands were strong but gentle as one cradled Jude’s head and the other ran down the small of his back. 

When they pulled apart Jude cursed his lungs for making him need oxygen. Both of them were panting and grinning like idiots. Now was his chance, if Jude didn’t say anything right now he might end rushing into this too fast. He liked Zero but sex on the first date was not Jude’s style.

“I,” Jude could not get the words out. His lips were still tingling from their kiss. He wasn’t quite ready to invite the other man into his apartment after one date. But he wasn’t sure how to turn him down either or if he even could. The same thoughts replaying in his brain over and over.

“Relax Jude,” Zero seemed to read his mind. “We’ll take this slow. No need to rush things.” He leaned in again and kissed Jude, this time it was a lot softer and tender. “Goodnight,” he whispered as they pulled apart. 

Jude managed to open his door and get inside before melting to the floor and smiling like some teenager. He lost it again a few minutes later when Zero texted him saying he’d had a great night. Giddy, Jude sat with his back against his door inhaling the scent of the rose Zero had bought him.


	6. Dog Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jude wanted to be mad, he did say emergencies only but he couldn’t help but smile. In fact he loved the picture so much he made it his phone’s new screensaver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my favourite chapter to write :D

Jude was walking around like a zombie. He’d been at the emergency all night vet until two a.m. after Duke was unable to settle. It was distressing to watch his best friend in so much pain. Turns out the bulldog had gone and developed an ear infection. 

Surviving on minimal sleep Jude managed to get out of bed, shower, down a cup of coffee and wrangle Duke long enough to give him his ear drops. 

He’d contemplated calling in sick but remembered he had to get his final edits in by close of business today. Half awake, even as he exited the building, Jude barely registered Zero’s presence until the other man was right in front of him. He spotted the Starbucks cup in his hand and before he could even stop himself Jude reached out and took it from Zero.

“Good morning to you too,” Zero chuckled not offended at the coffee thievery. “Rough night?”

“Duke,” Jude answered. “He has an ear infection so I spent half the night at the vet.” He took a couple swigs of the heavenly liquid before returning the cup to the other man. 

Zero seemed legitimately concerned. “Is he okay?”

Jude nodded. “Yeah he has some ear drops that need to be administered every four hours though.”

“Four hours?” Zero frowned. “But you’re going to work.”

“I know,” Jude yawned. “I’ve got it figured out. I’ll just leave at lunch, rush home, give Duke his drops, and rush back to work.”

“That’s ridiculous Jude,” Zero looked at the disheveled, tired man before him. “Let me do it.”

Jude shook his head. “No I can’t ask you-”

Zero cut him off. “Jude it’s fine. I am perfectly capable of giving a dog a few ear drops today while you’re at work. Let me do this for you okay?” 

Unsure, Jude contemplated the offer. It would be a big help to him and this way he could work through lunch and if lucky get out by two pm. “Okay,” he reached into his pocket and grabbed his keys. He removed the spare key from the chain and handed it over. “Midday, two drops each ear, the bottle is in the fridge. If he seems up for it a walk would probably be good for him now if you're able.”

“Got it,” Zero put the key into his pocket.

“You have my number just call me if there’s an emergency,” the weight in Jude’s chest lifted. Today was going to be much easier now. “Thank you Zero.”

“Don’t sweat it,” the other man replied before leaning in and kissing Jude. “Now go to work.”

Admittedly Jude’s day had greatly improved. He got to work on time and set about completing the final edits to his latest article. Once complete he’d present it to Jelena who would hopefully give him the all clear and then he could go home and look after Duke. 

It was just after nine am when Jude’s phone beeped. Noticing the text was from Zero, he jumped thinking something was wrong. To his surprise Jude opened the message to find a selfie of Zero and Duke, both with their tongues sticking out. Jude wanted to be mad, he did say emergencies only but he couldn’t help but smile. In fact he loved the picture so much he made it his phone’s new screensaver. 

A few more texts made their way to Jude’s phone by lunch time. One of Duke in a baseball cap, one of Zero pretending to taste the ear drops, and one of Duke peeing on a fire hydrant. By this stage Jude was out right laughing, earning him a couple of odd looks from his co-workers. Oddly enough Jude was rather comfortable with the other man hanging around his apartment while he wasn't there.

It was going on two pm and Jelena had finally proofed Jude’s article, approving it. With a sigh of relief he gathered his things and rushed out of the office. He was a little disappointed that he hadn’t received another picture update in over an hour. Realizing Duke was in good hands, Jude quickly stopped off to pick up a six pack for Zero as a thank you. 

Stepping off the lift at his floor, Jude couldn’t hear anything from his apartment as he reached the door and stood outside it. Maybe Zero had gone back to his own apartment by now? Opening the door he stopped dead in his tracks when he reached his living room. Adorable was the only word Jude had to describe what he saw. Zero sleeping on the couch with Duke sleeping on his chest. The man and dog cuddled together. It was perfect.

Almost feeling guilty, Jude stood beside the couch and cleared his throat.

Duke woke instantly and jumped off the couch to great Jude. He still moved sluggishly but he had definitely improved since last night.

Zero blinked his eyes open and looked up at the other man. “Hey.”

“Hey yourself,” Jude smirked. “Comfy?”

“Yeah, little guy seemed upset so I didn’t want to leave him alone. We had a good day, guess I fell asleep though,” Zero explained as he stood up. “What’s the beer for?”

“For you stupid,” Jude set it down on the coffee table. “For saving my ass today.”

“It’s a nice ass,” Zero agreed. “But you didn’t have to get me anything.”

Jude took off his coat and kicked off his shoes. “Do you want to stay for dinner?”

“Can’t,” Zero had a post nap stretch. “I have a thing,” he was never one for details. “Tomorrow?”

“Sure,” Jude nodded. “I’ll cook and maybe you can stay afterwards?” He was hoping Zero could pick up on what he meant.

“Jude are you sure? We don’t have to?” Zero was committed to going as slow as Jude wanted to.

“I want to,” Jude was sure of himself.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow,” Zero pulled him in for a passionate kiss. “That should tie me over till then.” He left the beer there, the pair could share it during their dinner date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes ch 7 will be explicit


	7. Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noticing the look of lust in the other’s eyes, Zero grinned. “Well I do like a good thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexy times ... I know some people have been waiting for this :P
> 
> Hope it doesn't disappoint.

Lasagna; a crowd favorite and obvious choice for the dinner Jude was cooking. He grabbed everything he needed from the grocery store and rushed home. It was just after five-thirty so Jude had plenty of time to prepare the meal before Zero’s arrival at seven. That is after he walked Duke downstairs in a hurry. 

He’d picked up a pack of condoms and some lube at the store as well. Whilst Jude wasn’t a virgin, it had still been a while so he was nervous. Cracking open one of the beers he’d gotten Zero, Jude tried to focus on the food instead of what was to follow. 

With the lasagna in the oven, Jude tossed together a quick salad, then went about cleaning up. He contemplated candles but thought that might be a bit much.

When Duke perked up and headed to the door, Jude knew Zero must be right outside. Sure enough a knock came seconds later. Still nervous, Jude inhaled deeply to calm himself.

“Good evening,” Zero was first to speak as the door opened. 

Jude was going to greet the other man and say “come in,” but Zero just pulled him into a kiss before he could even speak. Flustered but in a good way, Jude walked towards the kitchen with the other man close behind. 

“Something smells amazing,” Zero noted, before leaning down to greet Duke who was patiently waiting for a pat. “Need some help?”

“All taken care of,” Jude opened the fridge and retrieved a beer for the other man. 

“Good cause I can’t cook,” the pair both laughed at Zero’s confession.

The timer on the oven buzzed, announcing the food was ready. Zero headed to the table to take his place. 

“So how was your day?” Jude asked as he sliced up the lasagna.

“Not worth mentioning until I got here,” Zero was smooth as always. “What about you?”

“I suppose you could say this is the highlight of my day as well,” Jude could play this game. With their meals served, Jude took a seat at the table opposite Zero.

Wasting no time Zero took one bite of the meal. “Jude,” he moaned. “This is incredible. Smart, funny, cute and he can cook,” Zero was looking down at Duke. “No wonder you stick around here.”

Feeling a sense of accomplishment Jude took a bite of his own food. Okay yeah his lasagna was pretty damn good. 

Their meal was enjoyable. Discussing random things from their day, the fact that it was supposed to rain all weekend and how Duke was recovering from his ear infection. 

With their dinner long finished and three beers down, Jude was feeling more relaxed about what they both knew was going to happen. “You know,” he rested back in his chair. “I never did properly thank you for helping me out yesterday.”

“Forget about it,” Zero shrugged. “Happy to help.”

“No,” Jude shook his head before standing and walked over to the other man. “I really should say thank you.” 

Noticing the look of lust in the other’s eyes, Zero grinned. “Well I do like a good thank you.” 

Leaning down, Jude kissed him. It was hungry, almost desperate. 

Zero reciprocated instantly and nearly jumped out of his chair. He reached for the hem of Jude’s shirt and paused. “Should we clean this up first?”

“It can wait,” Jude panted. 

From there the pair clawed at each other, peeling off shirts, shoes, pants, leaving a trail of clothing on the way to the bedroom. Jude pushed Zero onto the bed and kicked the door closed. This was going to be a dog free zone tonight. 

Willingly, Zero just laid there as Jude kissed down his chest and stomach. He lifted his hips so the other man could remove his underwear. 

Kneeling at the foot of the bed, Jude drove Zero crazy by kissing the inside of his thighs well aware of Zero’s rapidly growing cock. He continued to tease the man by licking along the length of his shaft. To his credit Zero was keeping rather calm, just cursing under his breath over and over for Jude to “hurry the fuck up.”

Lust had finally taken control and whatever nerves Jude had were gone as he took Zero into his mouth. 

“Fuck,” was all the other man could manage as he tried to control how much he bucked his hips. 

Jude was out of practice but quickly found a pace that suited him and by the noises coming from Zero it suited him as well. 

He wasn’t expecting it when Zero sat up and proceeded to pull Jude up onto the bed on top of him. The two men made out as their cocks rubbed together. Jude could feel Zero’s hand gripping his ass cheek. It felt so good.

“Fuck me,” Jude managed to say between kisses. 

“You wish is my command,” even in the middle of sex, Zero could still be a cocky bastard. He grabbed the lube which sat atop the bedside table but didn’t comment on the fact that Jude seemed to have left it out there in obvious preparation of their night together. 

Lazily, Zero kissed along Jude’s hip before he sought revenge by teasing the tip of Jude’s cock with kisses. He pushed one lubed finger into Jude at the same time as he swallowed his cock. 

The rush of sensation sent Jude over board. “Shit, fuck, Zero,” he couldn’t form a sentence. He felt like his world was splitting at the seams when Zero added a second finger to work him open. 

Zero stilled his fingers as he sat up and reached over Jude to grab a condom. He used his spare hand and teeth to tear open the packet. Rolling it on, he removed his fingers, noticing how Jude groaned in annoyance. Adding some lube to his cock, he lined himself up with the other man. “You ready.”

“Yes!” Jude was impatient when he was horny. He grabbed Zero’s sides as Zero pushed into him. The mix of pain and pleasure was almost unbearable. It had been a while for Jude, but this wasn’t like the last time he had sex. This was so much better. Multiple moans escaped Jude as Zero managed to hit his prostate with his thrusts. 

“Fuck Jude,” Zero grunted. “So damn tight, so beautiful.” 

It was their first time together and both men knew they wouldn’t last long. They were way too keen to get off to each other. Zero grabbed Jude’s cock and began to stroke him in rhythm with his thrusts. 

Jude gave up on trying to last long as he threw his head back and came. 

The sound of Jude’s groans mixed with the sight of him coming undone below him, sent an orgasm ripping through Zero as he thrust hard a couple more times. Stilling his movements, he collapsed as gently as possible atop of Jude, kissing whatever skin he could reach. 

“That was amazing,” Jude was first to speak. 

“Better than amazing,” Zero tore off the condom and threw it into the bin in the corner of the room. 

Reluctantly, Jude got up to retrieve something to clean them both off with. 

Once clean Zero wrapped his arm around Jude and pulled him in close. The pair shared lazy kisses before sleep finally claimed them.


	8. The Big Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s still me Jude,” Zero reached out towards him but Jude took a step out of the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mystery Zero revealed. I just hope people are happy with what his character does...

The next three weeks the pair followed a similar pattern. Most days, Zero would come over and Jude would cook. Zero tried to help but it never went very well. The first time they shared the kitchen ended up in a make out session that lasted so long their food burnt. From then on Jude banished him to the sofa with Duke. Some nights they’d simply order take out and on the weekends Zero would take Jude out to eat. But every night they were together ended the same way. Back in Jude’s apartment fucking in his bed, or those couple of times they did it in the shower. 

One thing kind of bugged Jude about the arrangement though. They never went to Zero’s place. In fact it never even came up as an option. 

After one particularly bad day at work Jude had reached boiling point over the whole Zero’s apartment situation. 

“Hey,” Zero was standing in the doorway. He’d used the spare key to let himself in. Jude had given it to him to keep over a week ago as it was just easier that way. They were going to order Thai and watch the Knicks game together.

A grunt was all Jude offered in return. 

“What’s wrong with you?” 

“Jelena chewed my ass out today,” Jude huffed, downing the remainder of his glass of scotch.

“Want me to make it feel better?” Zero’s seductively hummed as he started to massage Jude’s shoulders. When his hands started to travel down Jude’s back, Jude pushed away. “What?”

“I’m just tired okay, I don’t always like having to constantly play host,” Jude was irritated.

Zero held up his hands defensively. “Okay, do you want to go out to eat?”

“Why can’t we go to your place?” Jude had finally blurted out the words he’d been meaning to say.

It didn’t last long, but Zero was clearly phased by the question. He quickly regained his composure, covering any feelings with a smile. “I prefer your place.”

“But I haven’t even seen your apartment,” Jude countered. He was over the way the other man seemed to skim over the details of his life. “I don’t think it’s too much to ask to see where my boyfriend lives.”

The words hit Zero hard. “Boyfriend?” They’d never discussed their relationship or using that term. He fell quiet, thinking through the request. “Okay,” Zero finally answered after some deep thought. “But just be prepared.”

‘Be prepared?’ what on Earth was that supposed to mean? Jude thought as he followed Zero to the hallway and then the lift. The anger he felt from his bad day was quickly being replaced with intrigue. He cared for Zero deeply but now he felt like he was making some sort of real progress with this relationship. 

Entering the lift, Jude immediately frowned as he saw Zero press the button for the top floor. That didn’t make any sense, the top few floors belonged to the building’s penthouses, none more impressive than the one on the top floor.

When the doors opened there was only one small hallway with a single door at the end. Confused Jude followed Zero. 

“What’s going on?” Jude managed to ask as Zero pulled out his keys and opened the door. 

“This is my home Jude,” Zero pushed the door open and ushered the other man inside. 

The apartment, no penthouse, was massive, easily fives the size of Jude’s own. The place would without a doubt cost at least a few million. “You live here?” Jude asked as he walked around. 

“Yeah,” Zero seemed unsure of what else to say and tried to give Jude space to explore. 

Expensive paintings, crystal ornaments, marble bench tops. It was stunning. But it was the pictures that hang on the hallway wall that caught Jude’s eye. They were all book covers, part of a series, Jude knew them. He then saw a display case with awards and framed newspaper articles about the Devils book series and its author Gideon. “What is all this? Why do you have articles on Gideon?” Everyone knew who Gideon was, whilst the secretive author had never been seen in public, his books were read around the world.

“That’s me,” Zero shrugged and pointed to one of the articles. “I’m Gideon. Zero was what my foster parents called me, Gideon is my birth name,” he explained.

“Right so you’re a world famous author,” Jude laughed. He felt like he was getting punked. But then he noticed the solemn look in the other’s eyes. “You’re serious?”

Zero shrugged again. 

“I’m dating a celebrity?” this was a lot for Jude to process. It suddenly made sense as to why he'd never seen Zero go to work. He was already worth a fortune and didn't exactly need a nine to five job.

“It’s still me Jude,” Zero reached out towards him but Jude took a step out of the way. “I don’t want all the fame and attention. I’m glad my books are doing well but I don’t want to do signings, tours, day-time talk shows. It’s not me.”

“So you lied to me?” Now the hurt was coming out in Jude’s tone.

“I’ve tried to be honest in the past but once I tell guys I’m worth over two hundred million dollars it doesn’t inspire the best in people. Most of them just saw me as a meal ticket.”

“Two hundred million?” Jude practically spat. “And you slept on my lumpy mattress?”

“I like your bed Jude,” Zero smirked, obviously reminiscing on all the things they did in said bed. He waited and Jude didn’t seem to react. “I hope this doesn’t change anything between us.”

Jude scoffed. “How could it not?” 

“Jude,” Zero tried to reach for him one last time. “I…I love you.”

But Jude stepped back once more. “I need some time to think about this Zero…Gideon…whatever the hell you name is.” He held back the tears until he’d successfully stormed out of the penthouse and into the elevator.


	9. Drunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I was going to kiss you,” Lucas replied, hand now slowly working its way up Jude’s inner thigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Silly Jude!
> 
> Only one chapter to go...

Jude ignored the missed calls and texts from Zero. He was thankful the other man didn’t use the spare key he still had to get into the apartment. 

Feeling confused, and embarrassed Jude got up the following morning like it was any other day and went to work. Oddly enough, watching Jelena fire someone over blurred photographs was an effective distraction. 

By the following Monday Jude had calmed down a lot. He wasn’t angry anymore, just hurt. Whilst he understood why Zero lied it didn’t make the pain any better. 

His co-workers had noticed a change in his behavior, some of them even trying to cheer him up. It was nearly six pm and the floor was practically empty. Jude was trying to distract himself with work not wanting to go home in case he ran into Zero. The pair almost had a run in on Saturday but Jude managed to duck behind the concierge desk less than gracefully.

A bottle of scotch was placed on Jude’s desk beside him. Jude looked up to see Lucas standing there holding two glasses. 

Without speaking he poured a shot and nodded for Jude to take it. Without hesitation Jude downed the liquid. It burned but in a good way. He slid the glass back over wanting more.

“So are you going to tell me what happened?” Lucas finally asked as he poured Jude his fifth shot. 

“There was this guy,” Jude didn’t mind saying it in front of Lucas as he too was gay and Jude was getting pretty drunk at this point. “We dated for a bit but then I found out he was hiding this huge secret from me?”

Lucas nodded his head. “Married?”

“What?” Jude laughed. “No, he’s rich, like really rich, like private jet kind of rich,” he slurred a little bit as he downed the shot. “Not to mention famous. He’s an author.”

“Really?” The conversation had peaked Lucas’ interest. “Anything I’d know.” He filled Jude’s glass again.

“Just the entire Devils series,” Jude chuckled to himself. “My god you should have seen his penthouse, was awesome,” Jude frowned as he continued speaking. “But for some reason we kept sleeping at my place.”

“So you’re dating Gideon the world famous reclusive author of the Devils series?” Everyone had heard about the book series and its author. Lucas was originally only interested in trying to sleep with Jude but this story had caught his attention big time. Gideon was such a recluse that any gossip on him was rare.

Jude shrugged. “I was but then I freaked out, stormed out of the place and haven’t spoken to him since. In hindsight I probably overreacted. He told me he loved me and you know what I love him too. But I haven’t spoken to him in a few days.”

“If you want my advice,” Lucas placed a hand on Jude’s thigh. “You deserve to be with someone better.”

The words stung at Jude’s chest. Someone better? There was no one better than Zero. “Thanks Lucas,” the guy was only trying to help after all. It wasn’t till silence fell over the pair that Lucas made his moved and leaned in towards Jude. “What are you doing?”

“I was going to kiss you,” Lucas replied, hand now slowly working its way up Jude’s inner thigh.

“Stop,” Jude moved to put some distance between them. “I can’t,” he shook his head. “I need to talk to Gideon.” Without another word he grabbed his jacket and hurried off out of the office.

Calling from the cab Jude had no luck reaching Zero on his phone. He didn’t give up though trying again a few times until he made it back to his building. Reaching the elevator Jude realized he wouldn’t be able to get into Zero’s penthouse and security might not be to impressed if he hung around outside Zero’s front door. Defeated he opted to go to his own apartment and crash. It was probably a good idea anyways given his drunken state. He’d try Zero again in the morning and apologize properly in person, perhaps over coffee. Yeah that was a good plan, drunk Jude reasoned with himself as he dropped down onto his bed.

The sound of his alarm reminded Jude how bad doing shots was on a work night was as he struggled to get out of bed. Tired, hungry and nursing one hell of a headache he grabbed his phone noticing some messages waiting for him. 

One from Lucas, great Jude thought what now. He opened the link in the text which took him to an article on Glam’s website. Instantly Jude felt sick. He couldn’t believe it. Lucas had gone and written a blog piece on Gideon the world-renowned author and how he was living in New York. It even named their building, mentioning the penthouse suite and how his identity was revealed by one of their top columnists who had been dating Gideon. The details were hazy but tens of thousands of people read Glam’s online blog. 

This was a nightmare. Jude couldn’t believe it. He closed the article only to notice another text message waiting for him. 

_From Zero: how could you Jude?_


	10. Endings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m moving,” Zero said breaking the silence between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to everyone who read this. I hope you all enjoyed it.
> 
> Feel free to leave comments and let me know your fav part(s) :)

Punching Lucas was so worth being dragged out of the building by security. Jude threw his badge at one of the guards, vowing never to come back. He was done with that place. He’d taken Friday off as a sick day but when Jude strolled into the office on Monday morning, Lucas was there grinning at him, goading him on. 

Still livid Jude went straight back home. He was too pissed off to be around people. He had to fix this but he needed a plan. Simply calling Zero had not worked, the other man never picked up. Jude contemplated texting but that felt hollow to him. On the train he tried to calm his thoughts. He’d been in such a flustered state this morning that he left his apartment in a whirlwind. 

Arriving home, Jude was confronted by someone staked out in the lobby, asking questions about the mysterious Gideon. She was obviously a reporter following up on the blog post trying to see if there was any validity to the claims that one’s of the world’s most famous writers lived in the building. Yet another reason for Zero to hate him. Reaching his floor Jude’s stomach dropped but for another reason. His front door was ajar. He must not have closed it properly when he rushed out of the apartment that morning trying desperately not to be late for work.

“Duke?” Jude called but nothing. The anger in him was quickly replaced by anxiety. “Duke!” he called again searching the apartment but it was empty. Agitated, Jude ran down the hallway asking anyone he encountered if they’d seen his dog. When it became clear that Duke was nowhere on the floor Jude was gripped by panic. Had Duke somehow got into the lift? Or worse had someone taken him?

He had some idea where to begin looking. Jude went back into his apartment, grabbed his phone and the leash. He would start at the lobby, let the front desk know, and ask the doorman if he’d seen Duke leave on his own, then sweep the streets block by block if he had to. 

Jude was on his way to the elevator when his phone rang. Zero the screen read. Worst timing award ever Jude answered the call. “Hello.”

“Jude, it’s me,” Zero replied. “I wanted to let you know that-”

“I don’t have time for this now,” Jude cut him off. “I’m sorry,” he realized it wasn’t fair to take this out on Zero. “Duke’s missing and I have no idea where he is and,” Jude was trying really hard to keep his emotions in check. 

“Yeah about that-” Zero tried to speak again.

“I know we need to talk but I have to find him first,” Jude cut him off again. “It’s my fault, I left the door open and-”

“Jude!” Zero’s voice boomed over the phone in an attempt to get Jude’s attention. “Duke’s fine,” he tone was softer now. “I’ve got him.”

Unsure he’d heard that right Jude stopped. “What?”

“I’ve got him. Just get in the lift and come here,” Zero instructed. 

Following the instructions Jude got in and went to the top floor. He was too relieved about Duke to even think about what it’d be like seeing Zero again. When the doors opened he beelined for Zero’s door only to see the man standing there waiting for him with a bulldog in his arms. 

“Seems like someone missed me,” Zero smirked as he handed Duke over to a still somewhat panicked Jude. “He must have slipped into the lift with the maid when she came up earlier. I found him outside my place when I got home from my run. Sneaky little bugger.”

Relieved, Jude drew Duke in for a hug. “Don’t run away again, you hear me?” Once his heart beat returned to something normal, Jude put the bulldog down and looked at the other man. “I tried calling you,” was all he could manage to say.

Zero crossed his arms. “I know.”

Things went quiet between the two of them. Jude was sorry a million times over but had no idea what to say to articulate how he felt. He was never good at confrontation. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, unsure of where to being but it was Zero who spoke first.

“I’m moving,” Zero said breaking the silence between them. “No one knows what I look like yet so if I get out of this building and go somewhere else I can be totally anonymous again. Reporters have already been sniffing around outside looking for a story so I’ll be staying at a hotel till I can find a new place. My publisher is going to get someone to come move my things for me.”

The words stabbed at Jude’s heart as he tried to process what he’d just heard. Another awkward pause. This couldn’t be real. First he almost lost Duke and now he was losing Zero.

Sighing, Zero seemed to give up on waiting for a reply and started to close the door.

“I quit my job,” Jude blurted and the door stopped closing and then slowly reopened. “Right after I punched Lucas in his smug face.”

“What?” Zero looked at him in disbelief. He remembered Lucas was the name of the guy who wrote the blog article.

“I know I screwed up okay,” Jude swallowed the lump in his throat. “Lucas he tricked me, got me drunk and listened while I poured my heart out over you. He just wanted to get into my pants and when I turned him down he got pissed and wrote that story.”

For the third time the pair went silent as Zero’s gaze seemed to pierce Jude completely; analyzing him. “You poured your heart out over me?” His voice was more playful like his typical mood.

“I didn’t realize how much I needed you in my life till you weren’t there anymore. I missed you,” Jude admitted. “I know I fucked everything up and I know that ‘I’m sorry’ doesn’t fix it but if you just let me-” Jude’s words were cut short by Zero’s lips on his own.

“I missed you too stupid,” Zero grinned as they parted. 

A single tear escaped Jude as he tried to hold himself together. “I really am sorry.”

“I know,” Zero just pulled him into a strong hug. “But I still have to go Jude.” Each word felt like a dagger as Jude desperately tried to keep a brave face. “But,” Zero continued.

Confused, Jude’s flight reflex halted. “But?”

“Maybe you can come with me?” Zero looked down at Duke. “Both of you of course.”

“Come with you?” Jude repeated the words, till he finally managed to catch on to what Zero was asking him. “You want me to move in with you?”

Zero shrugged sheepishly. “Well yeah. I know it’s only been a couple of months but I don’t want to lose you Jude. Maybe we can get a house, with a yard, and a friend for this guy to play with,” he was referring to Duke as he spoke.

“You still want to be with me?” Jude couldn’t believe it.

“Yeah of course,” Zero wiped his thumb across Jude’s cheek where a tear had fallen a minute ago. “I realize that my life must have been a lot to take in so I can understand why you reacted how you did.”

“You’re too good to be true Gideon,” it was the first-time Jude had used Zero’s real name. 

A smile broke out across Zero’s face. “Just don’t go blabbing my secret again or I’ll have to tie you up.”

“I won’t, I promise,” Jude kissed the other man again.

Zero stood back from the door inviting the other man and his dog inside. “Great and now you get to help me pack some clothes.”

“Deal, but you’re not staying in some hotel,” Jude closed the door behind him and let Duke run loose inside. “You can stay at my apartment, till we find our new home.”

“Our home,” Zero repeated the words. “I like the sound of that.”


End file.
